The collection consists of writings, correspondence, photographs, audiovisual material, artwork, printed material, computer disks and other papers by or relating to James Merrill and documenting aspects of his work as a poet and writer. Some of the material was created and accumulated by J. D. McClatchy, who served as executor of Merrill's estate and who co-edited several volumes of Merrill's works, including Collected Poems (2001), Collected Novels and Plays (2002), Collected Prose (2004), The Changing Light at Sandover (2006), and Selected Poems (2008).